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(630) 418 4139Get a free quote
From Just $3/sq ft
17+ Years of Local Expertise
Employee Owned
Company
Serving Chicago & 30+ Suburbs
Certified Pet- & Family-Safe Finishes
Big Bro Hardwood is an owner-operated hardwood flooring company serving Elmhurst and the surrounding suburbs. We install, sand, stain, refinish, and repair solid and engineered wood floors, starting around $3 a square foot. In 17+ years, we have completed 500+ floors across the area – restoring site-finished oak strip floors in Elmhurst’s early 1900s bungalows, refinishing quartersawn oak in 1920s and 1930s revival-style homes, and laying wider-plank hardwood in the modern new builds that have replaced older properties throughout the city.
The same small crew handles your project from the first measurement to the last coat – no rotating subcontractors, ever. We give you a clear, line-by-line estimate, use vacuum-assisted equipment that captures 95% or more of sanding dust, and finish with Bona and Loba products that are kid- and pet-safe once cured. Call or email us and we will have a free in-home estimate to you within 24 hours.
High-quality Elmhurst flooring doesn’t need a luxury price tag. Our services start at just $3 per square foot. Use our hardwood floor cost calculator for a quick check.
Our hardwood floor specialists use advanced dustless sanding systems to keep your home cleaner and sustain the indoor air quality during the sanding process.
Most of our work comes from word-of-mouth. Clients trust us — and tell their friends. That’s how we’ve earned strong customer satisfaction.
BBH hardwood floor company works with everything from historic bungalows to high-rise condos. Our wood flooring options are built to handle snow, humidity, and the rhythm of city life.
We use only certified products from brands like Loba and Bona — safe for families, pets, and perfect for engineered wood floors or solid hardwood flooring.
Our hardwood flooring contractors keep a tight schedule, respect your home, and stay in communication. The entire process is clear, smooth, and handled by true professionals.
Whether you live in a century-old bungalow near the Illinois Prairie Path or a newer build in Elmhurst’s growing teardown neighborhoods, we have the service your floors need.
We’re a hardwood floor company based in the Elmhurst area, with 17+ years of hands-on experience in hardwood floor installation, floor refinishing, staining, and repair services. Our team is small, focused, and takes pride in doing every job right, from the first measurement to the final product.
We’ve completed 500+ Elmhurst-area projects across the city and the Chicagoland area, and we work closely with every client to make sure the results match their flooring needs — no shortcuts, no guesswork. Big Bro Hardwood wood flooring contractors adhere to the industry’s National Wood Flooring Association Technical Guidelines.
Our wood flooring company believes in clear communication, the best materials, and clean, quality work. More than 80% of our new clients come from satisfied customers who recommend us to family, friends, and neighbors — and we’re genuinely proud to earn that kind of trust.
17+ years
Of experience
500+
Hardwood floor projects completed
30+
Suburbs served
15,000+ hours
Of hands-on hardwood work
Donatas
Owner
Valdas
Team member
Slavek
Team member
Elmhurst's mix of century-old bungalows, midcentury ranches, and modern rebuilds means no two floors are the same. Here is how we adapt our work to what is actually in your home:
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Pre-war bungalows and revival-style homes: Many Elmhurst homes built before 1940 have original site-finished oak strip floors that are worth saving. We sand them back, repair what needs it, and refinish them rather than rip them out. For any home built before 1978, we follow EPA lead-safe RRP practices – proper containment, HEPA vacuuming, and verification before we leave.
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Postwar ranches and split-levels: These 1950s-1970s homes often have oak on the main living areas and carpet or vinyl in bedrooms and kitchens. We pull old carpet, assess what is underneath, and tie everything together with a consistent species and stain so the floor reads as one room.
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Teardown rebuilds and new construction: Elmhurst’s active rebuild market means engineered subfloors, wider-plank prefinished hardwood, and I-joist framing. We check subfloor flatness and moisture levels before any nail-down or glue-down installation so seasonal movement does not open gaps later.
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Additions and whole-home rehabs: We match species, board width, and grade so new wood blends into existing floors without a visible seam.
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Freeze-thaw humidity swings: Forced-air heat dries floors in winter; humid summers bring moisture back. We acclimate wood on site and recommend keeping indoor humidity at 30-50% year-round to prevent cupping, gapping, and crowning.
In many Elmhurst homes the original wood is worth saving rather than replacing - but the only way to know is to look at the subfloor and boards up close.
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This one came from a classic Elmhurst bungalow - the kind built in the 1920s or 1930s that you see all over the older neighborhoods here. The original floors had taken a century of foot traffic: deep scratches, worn patches near the doorways, and a finish that had gone completely flat. We sanded them back to bare wood, repaired the damaged boards, and refinished them from scratch. Same floors, no replacement. Take a look at the before and after and judge for yourself.
Get a free in-home estimate within 24 hours. No pressure, no hidden costs — just honest advice and expert results, and no cutting corners.
Donatas June 30, 2026
Donatas May 21, 2026
Donatas April 28, 2026
Absolutely. Many Elmhurst bungalows and pre-war homes have solid oak strip flooring that has decades of life left in it. We assess the wood thickness, check for previous finishes, and sand carefully to bring it back. Most of these floors refinish beautifully with Bona or Loba low-VOC coatings that are safe for kids and pets once cured. Refinishing starts at $3 per square foot and costs far less than replacement.
It is something we take seriously. Elmhurst developed heavily as a railroad suburb by the mid-20th century, so a large share of local homes predate the 1978 lead-paint cutoff. We follow EPA Lead RRP protocols on those projects, which means proper containment, HEPA-filtered equipment, and verification cleanup before we leave. You can ask us about this when we come out for your free estimate, and we will walk you through exactly what it means for your project.
The area’s cold winters and humid summers create real seasonal swings that cause hardwood to expand and contract. We acclimate wood on site before installation, follow NWFA guidelines for expansion gaps, and recommend keeping indoor humidity between 30-50% year-round. Basement moisture is also common in older Elmhurst homes, so we check subfloor moisture levels before any install. Skipping those steps is where most floor problems start.
Yes. Elmhurst has seen a steady teardown and rebuild trend, and we work on those larger new builds regularly. Engineered subfloors over I-joists are common in these homes and need careful flatness and moisture checks before nail-down or glue-down installation. We provide itemized line-by-line estimates so you know exactly what is included. Call us at (630) 418-4139 or request a free in-home estimate and we will come out within 24 hours.
It depends mostly on square footage, the condition of the floors, and whether you’re refinishing or installing new. Refinishing starts around $3 per square foot; new installation costs more because of materials. You get an itemized price at the free in-home estimate, and you can get a rough number first with our online cost calculator.
Most refinishing projects take 2–5 days, depending on size, stain, and number of finish coats. You can usually stay home – we seal off work areas and keep sanding dust to a minimum with vacuum-assisted equipment – but you’ll need to keep off the floors while the finish cures (water-based finishes are walkable sooner than oil-based). We give you a day-by-day plan before we start.
For most projects, we take a deposit to cover materials and lock in your dates, with the balance due once the work is finished and you’re happy with it. We put the exact terms in writing at the estimate, so there are no surprises.
Tell us what you need — we’ll help you figure out the best way to get it done.
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